Battlefield tours: Mark the centenary of Messines and Arras

30 March 2017

One century on to the day, stand on the very ground where thousands fought and fell on the Western Front

By Richard Roberts

Last year marked the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. That infamous offensive saw some of the bloodiest fighting in history, but the combat continued. The inconclusive Battle of Arras in April and May 1917 was followed by gains for the Allies at the explosive Battle of Messines in June. This spring and summer gives you the chance to mark the 100th anniversary of these conflicts on a battlefield tour.

These anniversaries are always a time to reflect, but they also present an opportunity to pay your respects in person, whether you’re a veteran or want to pay tribute to family, or if you simply take an interest in history. Join one of our battlefield coach tours to France and Belgium on these unique occasions to get up close to events that shaped our world and commemorate those who fought.

Commemorate Arras and Cambrai

The penultimate year of the Great War, 1917 saw several pivotal events – crucially, the USA entered the war, while Russia’s revolution saw it leave the conflict. Intense fighting continued closer to home, with major battles in Arras and Cambrai in Northern France. Make the trip here to see the battlefield where tanks were first used en masse in the historic battle of Cambrai. Travelling via Vimy Ridge and the Arras Memorial, this five-day coach trip takes you to the heart of the Western Front on a true one-off occasion, marking two centenaries in WWI’s major European theatre.

Mark the Messines offensive

From 7–14 June 1917 troops from the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand took part in a famous victory at Messines. The fighting involved a huge mine blast that devastated the German lines and was probably the biggest planned explosion in history until the A-bomb tests of 1945.

Control of Messines Ridge gave vital high ground to the south of Ypres, making it a strategically important location, and the victory was a prelude to the Battle of Passchendaele. A visit here is humbling any time but the centenary year is a special chance to experience history up close.

Walk the battlefields

Walking tours provide a real sense of place and give you the time and peace to reflect on what happened here. Our Walking the Ypres Salient tour includes five walks around key battlefields, including Messines Ridge, with an expert guide to paint a vivid picture of the war.

For a comprehensive tour of key locations, including the Somme and Vimy Ridge, visit Flanders fields on our Battlefields of World War One tour. Or if you’d like to combine a battlefield commemoration with a wider exploration of local culture, then consider our Beer and Battlefields itinerary. This trip takes you to monuments, trenches and museums for a look at life on the front, as well as local breweries that lived through the fighting.

Published by Mail Travel, a division of Associated Newspapers Limited, a company registered in England under company number 84121 with a registered office at Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT

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